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Gait
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A gait disturbance is a gait pattern that deviates from a "normal" gait. Synchrony, fluency, smoothness, and symmetry may be affected. A gait disturbance can be caused by problems at any level of the neuraxis, and they can be classified on an anatomical basis. This type of classification scheme categorises gait disturbances into low-level, middle-level, and high-level gait disorders. Particularly in the elderly, multiple factors may be in play causing a gait disturbance. [1]
Gait Disorders
Levels | Anatomical Level | Balance and Gait Pattern |
---|---|---|
Higher | Psychological / psychiatric | Variable: slow, buckling knees |
Higher | Cortical and subcortical | Different patterns: cautious, parkinsonian, ataxic, spastic, magnetic, gait ignition failure, disequilibrium |
Middle | Basal ganglia | Parkinsonian / dystonic / choreic |
Middle | Thalamus | Astasia / ataxia |
Middle | Cerebellum | Cerebellar ataxia |
Middle | Brain stem | Ataxia / spasticity |
Middle | Spinal cord | Spastic gait / tabetic gait |
Lower | Peripheral nerve Proprioception, vestibular visual |
Sensory ataxia / vestibular disequilibrium / visual disequilibrium |
Lower | Neuromuscular junction | Waddling |
Lower | Muscle | Waddling, steppage, Trendelenburg |
Lower | Skeleton | Antalgic / compensatory for deformities |
See below for a demonstration of neurological gait conditions (Hemiplegic, Parkinsonian, Cerebellar, Stomping, Scissoring, Trendelenburg, Foot-drop, Choreiform)